Soul Dancers, Secret X's Revenge Chapt4 UPDATE
by White-Jet
Summary: Pardon my panicking. Like I said, I have a bad tendency to freak out a lot. Anyway please tell me what you think of my fic. :>
1. Prelude

~ Prelude ~  
  
"GET HIM!"  
  
"DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!"  
  
"STOP!"  
  
Footsteps rained as employees of Secret X tried to stop an android on the loose. He holds everything to the completion of their latest creation, Robo-Z Gold. But he refused to give it, gaining some sence of dignity and a heart.  
  
Now he is on the run from those who are trying to capture him and force the information from his memory banks. But they didn't get far when the android leaps off the submarine bay and into the ocean. He never came up.  
  
Back in the office.  
  
"He WHAT!?" Shung shouted as he slammed his hands on the table, shooting up from his chair.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir," a scientist mumbled, "Somehow the Finchit Clone-O- Droid had gained some human personalities due to a malfunction in his systems. Instead of telling us how to activate Robo-Z Gold, he said he was through blowing things up and leaped into the water of the Submarine bay. And because he doesn't have an emergency floatation device, we won't be able to retrieve him anytime soon."  
  
"No! Without Finchit's information, Robo-Z Gold is useless!" Shung sighs, "get rid of it."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Are you deaf? I SAID DUMP IT!"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The scientist walked over to the robot construction area where Robo-Z Gold was being made. There it was, the towering, golden giant standing dormant and lifeless. The scientist sighed and pulled a lever near on the wall. A trap door opened under Robo-Z Gold as it was dropped in dragon blood, a chemical stolen from Gas-O's during the first Bust A Groove competition, said to devour anyone with a groove-tron and send them to a random location in Japan.  
  
"I never thought I had to use dragon blood on Finchit's own creations." the scientist said as he left. Ever since then, the project, along with everything concerning Finchit's plans remained forgotten...until a year later. 


	2. Crazy Ideas

~ 1 ~ Crazy Ideas  
  
20-year-old Heat laid belly flat in bed with the blankets up to his chin and his left hand tucked under his pillow. The chibi-Godzilla on a repltile egg with a clock sticking out of its cracked hole, which sat on the side table drawer near his bed, struck 8:00am and began running around, roaring until a fire ball slammed into it and sent it flying into a wall near the bedroom door, hitting the snooze alarm.  
  
"Good morning, my lizard friend," the clock grunted.  
  
"Up yours, lizard ass," Heat mumbled as he fell out of bed and dragged himself into the bathroom.  
  
"WOW! It's for real!?" Comet squeeled as she was on the phone with her crazy old grandfather.  
  
"Who said it was just a myth?" the old man cackled, "Very few people know about this. But I am the first to know about it."  
  
"So your saying this Soul Crystal, is capable of capturing any soul it touches?"  
  
"That's what I said, it's risky, but I believe you can harness it's power. Just make sure those thugs don't follow you or there could be trouble."  
  
Comet was so excited about finding something very powerful, she ran out of the house before Frida had a chance to ask her where she was going.  
  
"She must've been talking to grandpa again," Frida sighed as she grabbed her helmet and walked out after Comet.  
  
Heat walked out of the house wearing a white sweater with fire patterns lined up to his shoulder and a firey "H" on the front of the sweater, white pants with a graffitti fire picture on both sides of his legs, and white and red sneakers. He also wore his usual racing gloves, blue glassed goggles on his forehead and a cowboy hat hanging off his back.  
  
There wasn't a cloud in the sky and Heat needed a break from finding a part-time job. He jumped onto his motorcycle and drove down to Tokyo Bay, a place where he rarely visits. But he had to take a ferry out to Toyama where KNN-TV was located for a Litter Box Warriors 5 movie the director was filming. The only reason Heat wanted to come was because Devo, who had been auditioned for the movie, begged him to come over even though he wasn't to thrilled to be in the movie himself.  
  
Heat got impatient as he waited for the ferry to come. While waiting, he noticed someone challanging people to a dance competition. Heat wanted to challange, and he needed to kill some time.  
  
A crowd began to form as the two tried to out-dance each other in a traditional Bust A Groove match. What no one had expected was that there was a bright light surrounding Heat as he continued to dance. At the same time, Heat felt like he was going into a trance. Both triggered a strange shadow at the bottom of the ocean as its eyes flash on as its boosters turned on, sending it to the surface.  
  
Before the song ended, people began to scream and flee, even Heat's opponent as a gigantic head emerged from the water. Heat snapped out of his trance and stopped, noticing the people running. The eyes on the giants head faded as it sank in the water. By the time Heat turned around, the bubbles had disappeared along with the head. He just scratched his head.  
  
"Huh, I wonder what spooked everyone." He wondered. The ferry soon arrived as Heat walked towards it.  
  
"Comet, you're being stubborn! Will you just get on!?" Frida said as she slowly followed Comet on her fatigue colored motorcycle.  
  
"I must go alone, sis," Comet said, "Grandpa said that if the crystal falls into the wrong hands, desaster will strike." Frida sighed.  
  
"Our grandfather says the dumbest things," Frida grumbled, "and she's dumb enough to think she can fall for something like that!?"  
  
Suddenly, the streets shook as neighbors screamed, grabbing their kids and running inside. Frida turned around to see a hoard of pandas with renegate circus people on their backs charging towards her. She yelped and drove up to Comet who had just stopped, noticing the freaked out look on her sister's face.  
  
"Hey, sis! How about using that thing called a brain and get on!?" Frida yelled.  
  
"I don't know," Comet mumbled.  
  
"WHAT!? What'd you mean you don't know!? Do you, under any circumstances, realize we're about to be trampled by panda-back clowns!?"  
  
"Pandas? Really?"  
  
"Oh for the love of..." Frida grabbed Comet and chucked her on trailer side of the motorcycle as she zoomed off.  
  
A man on a hoverboard caught up with the sisters. He wore a black, sleeveless shirt, white pants and leather boots. He had shoulder long, blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and a violet line along his hair from his bangs to the tip end of his ponytail.  
  
"WOW! He look's like a muscular version of Devo! Either he's Devo's twin brother, or some clone made by Gas-O!" Comet squeeled. Frida glared at her.  
  
"We're about to be trampled by pandas and all you can think about is resemblances!?" Frida growled.  
  
"I am Blade." the man said, "I am leader of the Circus Gang."  
  
"If youre a gangster like Strike, you're out of luck. We don't have anything you might be looking for!" Frida said.  
  
"Oh, that's okay. All I want to know is where you're going."  
  
"That's non of your damn business!" Frida revved up her motorcycle and zoomed ahead of Blade as the stampeed continued after them.  
  
Once out of the neighborhood, Frida took her paint brush and drew a Bob-omb, sending it towards the panda hoard. Blade freaked as the bomb blew up. Once the dust cleared, he was flat on his chin, covered in dust and literally pissed off. The others were piled on top of each other, dazed and out cold.  
  
"I'll get you for that..." Blade growled.  
  
"What was that!?" Shung shot up from his chair.  
  
"Well...we just got a signal from Robo-Z Gold, sir," the scientist said, "It was there for a minute before it disappeared."  
  
Shung slumped in his chair, his hands resting on the back of his folded fingers.  
  
"Without Finchit's information, we won't be able to figure out how to activate Robo-Z Gold." Shung said, sighing, "It's been over a year and already, we've pushed the project aside. Maybe we should start looking into this. Keep an eye on Robo-Z Gold. I wanna know what caused it to activate."  
  
"Yes, sir." the scientist said with a bow before scurrying off. Shung leaned back in his big chair and turned to the window, looking at the mid-day sky.  
  
"So, Finchit. You thought you could try and hide your information from Secret X." Shung said to the open air, "Well, I'm sorry to inform you that we have a clue to your little design. It will take more than that to figure out how to activate Robo-Z Gold, but once we do, your little sacrafice won't go over easily." He finished with a sinister laugh that echoed through the halls, causing the employees to shudder. 


	3. Disaster Strikes in the Most Unlikely Pl...

~ 2 ~ Disaster Strikes in the Most Unlikely Places  
  
Strike ran into a cave in the Pinnacles, outrunning a bunch of policemen lead by Icy, a blonde, 18-year-old woman in a light green, thigh high and sleeveless jumpsuit over light blue stockings, black gloves over a light blue, elbow-high pair of eve gloves, white, calf long, high heel boots, and a metal bandana around her head.  
  
The police force was after Strike for a crime he wasn't even involved in. He thought Icy was trying to get back at him for breaking up their relationship last year. It surprised him that she would go this far to scare the living daylights out of him. What a bitch!  
  
Deep in the cave, Strike noticed Frida and Comet walking around while shining a flashlight on an old map they found in their parent's trunk. Whatever they were doing made Strike curious enough to follow. Unfortunately, halfway through the cave, half his body fell through a crack on the floor. His guns were caught at the bottom of the hole, causing him to get stuck as he tries desperately to pull himself out.  
  
Heat leaned against the railing near the edge of the ferry. Due to a bad engine, he wasn't going to be able to make it to Toyama until somewhere around mid-night, and he knows how impatient Devo can get.  
  
He would've called Devo to tell him he was going to be late, but Devo's cell phone was off and he wasn't in his trailer, so Heat couldn't even leave a message in his voice mail, and this could be a problem if Devo thinks dis-liking "Litter Box Warriors 5" also involved not being there to see his friends be in it.  
  
After taking a lot of wrong turns and spending most of the day trying to study the map, Frida and Comet FINALLY arrived at the crystal room. There was a basketball size crystal with a Grim Reaper symbol in the middle of it that was giving off a bright pretty glow.  
  
"Did you get it yet?" Frida yelled as she had Comet on her shoulders. Comet was trying to reach for the Soul Crystal that was higher than they were.  
  
"Just a little higher," Comet grunted as Frida was now on her tippy- toes. Comet laid her fingers on the crystal causing it to suddenly glow and hit the two with a beam of light that startled them both.  
  
Visions of a young boy in clothing much like a priests was killed by a strange monster that disappeared with a piece of the crystal that had been chipped off during the fight began to flash through thier heads.  
  
After the strange slide-show, the glow fades as Frida and Comet find themselves on the ground, looking at the Soul Crystal.  
  
"Whoa, what do you think that was all about?" Frida asked. Comet got up and walked towards the crystal and picked it up.  
  
The crystal began glowing again and suddenly turned into a beam that shot Comet in the chest. The crystal soon disappeared along with the light. Comet dropped to her knees, groaning and covering her mid-section.  
  
"Comet, what's wrong!?" Frida asked. Suddenly, Comet's forehead began to glow, showing the symbol that was on the crystal earlier. Frida grabbed Comet and ran out of the room, shining a flash light through the way.  
  
It soon got dark. Heat decided to take another walk around the ferry just to kill time. When he got to the roof of the ferry, he came upon amateur break dancers on a perfectly waxed floor doing fast moves to Strike's old song, "Power".  
  
"Oh, please," Heat mumbled with a devilish grin, "I can do better than that."  
  
"Oh, really?" said a man from the crowd that had recently formed around the break dancers, "then why are you standing here, staring, home boy. Why not get out on the dance floor and make yourself look stupid." Heat looked at him and the grin grew wider.  
  
"If you insist. But remember, I'm not going to be held responsible for burning your clothes off if I decide to let some fire loose." Heat said as he pushed his way through the crowd.  
  
The break dancers walked towards the crowd, some muttering about seeing Heat on "Dancing Heroes", which aired last month and how he burned James Suneoka's clothes off just to annoy him.  
  
Heat walked up to the boom box and looked at the CD that was playing. It was a burnt CD containing bootlegged recordings from the first Bust A Groove tournament, something Heat would be interested in.  
  
While running towards the entrance of the cave, Frida trips over Strike and flung Comet into a rock pillar.  
  
"OW! Watch where you're going, bitch!" yelled Strike as he rubbed the bump on his forehead, "And while your at it, how about getting me out of here?"  
  
Frida shined her flash light where she tripped to see Strike waist deep in the ground, still trying to pull himself out. Comet was still freaking out about the Soul Crystal that had jumped into her body.  
  
"EEK! The ghost of the Soul Crystal wants to take my life!" she screamed as she jumped up and ran around. Strike had trouble trying to get her attention.  
  
"Hey, excuse me..."  
  
*ZOOM*  
  
"Do you mind..."  
  
*ZOOM*  
  
"I could use your..."  
  
*ZOOM*  
  
Strike had had enough. Before Comet could get past him, he grabbed her leg and forced her to fall flat on her face.  
  
"Are you done yet?" he grumbled. Comet sat up, rubbing the bruise on her face and turned around to see Strike drumming his fingers on the ground with his head resting on his other hand. Comet studied him before reaching a conclusion.  
  
"Hey, sis! Strike's stuck in a hole!" she said with a giggle. Both Strike and Frida groaned.  
  
"Why, thank you for the information, Ms. State the Obvious," Strike growled sarcastically, "Now how about getting me out of...!"  
  
*POINK*  
  
"YEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!" Strike screamed in pain and shot out of the hole. Both Frida and Comet looked up before Daffy Duck emerged from the hole with a squashed thumb tack between his thumb and forefinger.  
  
"Excuse me, ladies," he said, tossing the tack behind him, "would you mind keeping it down up there?"  
  
"Oh...right...sorry." Both said. Daffy fumed up.  
  
"WHAT!? SORRY!? SORRY! LISTEN, SISTER! I'M ON A NIGHT SHIFT HERE! HOW'S A GUY SUPPOSED TO GET SOME WORK DONE WITH ALL THIS RACKET GOING ON!?" Daffy got into Frida's face, "ME AND MY BUDDY WERE TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP WHEN YOUR BOYFRIEND INTRUDED ON OUR ROOM AND PUT HIS MUDDY SHOE PRINT ON MY NICELY CLEAN BED!" With a huff, Daffy jumped back into the hole, "You and your directions! I told you we should've rented a motel, Bugs!"  
  
Heat played the "2Bad" track and stood in the middle of the circle of people. As the song played, people stared in awe as Heat danced more seriously. But as the audience were mesmerized by Heat's dancing, Heat began emit an eerie light that lit up the dance floor and once again, he felt himself going into a trance. Still no one noticed, thinking the dim, overhead lights were on as the sun disappeared into the sea.  
  
Suddenly, as the song was reaching its end, the ferry a tidal wave appeared and rammed into the ferry, almost knocking it over. All the people on the ferry began running around and screaming. Heat suddenly snapped out of his trance and noticed the people running around like idiots. Most of them were jumping off the ferry and into the freezing cold ocean, trying to reach the life boats that had already pulled out with the panic-stricken people that had gotten on.  
  
Heat didn't know what was going on until he noticed himself glowing. At first, he thought it was his groove-tron gaining power from his enthusiasm during his show, but he soon realized that it was calling someone (or something) as a giant began to surface from the ocean an inch near the ferry.  
  
His eyes widened in shock as he saw a golden version of Robo-Z, mostly rusted and covered in seaweed now only ankle deep in the ocean. The giant robot turned its attention to the ferry and with one kick, sent it toppling over, sending the people who were still on the ferry and Heat flying into the ocean.  
  
The temperature of the ocean shocked Heat as he landed head first in it. At this time of night and weather, the ocean can be deadly. Most of the people who tried to reaching for a life boat with enough space had already frozen to death and sank. Heat managed to pull through, with what little body temperature his groove-tron was trying to muster up.  
  
Robo-Z Gold shot its hand into the ocean pulled it back out with Heat lying on its palm, shivering and barely conscious. Its eyes began to glow as it scanned Heat's frozen body.  
  
"Robo-Z Backup data found," a computerized voice chirped, "Beginning download."  
  
Its eyes glowed brighter as did the Heat until a white beam slammed into its face and blew it out. Robo-Z Gold yelped and flung Heat into the air, falling back into the ocean.  
  
A figure with dove wings and a hooded cape flew around and grabbed Heat before he landed back in the ocean. The figure flew away from the ferry and Robo-Z Gold as both sank into the ocean and the life boats fled from the scene that mysteriously unfolded.  
  
"A debt is a debt, right?" said a familiar voice, "even though I died while you were trying to save me, I at least saved you. And it's a surprise you lasted this long in this kind of weather."  
  
"S-Sara?" Heat mumbled before he passed out.  
  
"Why should WE take YOU with us?" Frida asked as she got into Strike's face. Strike opened his mouth to say something as buckets of sweat covered his face, but nothing came out. He then acted tough.  
  
"Uh...it's really none of your fuckin' business anyway. So don't get into my face about it!" Strike demanded. Frida threw her hands up in defeat.  
  
"Fine then. But if we're arrested for helping you 'escape', you can expect a very unpleasant drawing FROM ME." The last two words made Strike cringe.  
  
"S-sure, whatever." he gulped.  
  
Frida got onto her motorcycle with Comet in the back and Strike in the passenger side. They soon drove out of the cave and into the night sky. So far, the open field was empty except for some stones and boulders. But the minute they drove away from the cave, the sounds of guns clicking filled the silent air.  
  
The motorcycle came to a screeching halt as the trio was now surrounded by Icy's police force.  
  
"So, I see you have accomplices," Icy said with a smirk. Both Frida and Comet gave Strike a cold, deadly stare. He gulped and shot up from his seat.  
  
"Listen, kid! I'd like you to name one crime I have done in over a year!" Strike snapped, "And don't say that ending our Relationship is a crime, because everyone does that every once in a while!"  
  
"Me, arrest you for humiliating me?" Icy said with a vixen laugh, "For shame. I wouldn't arrest ANY man who tried to end my relationship for no reason."  
  
"Boy, what a bitch. For once, I actually WANT to save Strike from the police." Frida mumbled.  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Icy snarled.  
  
"I said if you want to arrest us so badly, you can take that badge of yours and stick it up your sissy ass!" Frida yelled as she revved up her motorcycle and zoomed off. Icy turned beet red.  
  
"STOP OR I'LL SHOOT!" She yelled, pulling out her gun.  
  
"Let's see you try!" Frida said as she continued onward as bullets zoomed passed her. One of the bullets nipped her cheek, causing her to flinch as she brought the motorcycle to a screeching halt.  
  
"She actually did it, the bitch!" Frida squeaked, rubbing the burn mark on her face.  
  
Strike took over the motorcycle as Frida was almost towering over him with a paint brush in her hand. Icy just grinned and pointed the gun at her until she saw Frida draw a mallet in thin air.  
  
"COMING AT'CHA, BLONDEY!" Frida screamed as she grabbed the mallet and jumped towards Icy, bringing it down on her. One hand caught the mallet and Frida found herself in mid-air, looking at a towering, muscular man with a mugged face looking at her with a dog-like growl.  
  
White in the face and covered with sweat, Frida gulped and laughed nervously as her mouth twitched slightly. Suddenly, smoke bombs surrounded the area as the police force began to panic and run around. A blimp emerged from the gigantic smoke cloud with Strike, Frida, Comet and Icy trapped in a net and dangling in the air.  
  
A door was lowered as Blade emerged from it, grinning.  
  
"Well well, Strike. We meet again." He said,  
  
"What do you want with us now!?" Frida yelled.  
  
"Well, if the infamous Strike is here, it means he just stole something of great value. Let's just see what he has for us." And with that, the blimp took off into the sky.  
  
"Hey...HEY! You'd better put us down this minute!" Icy demanded as they left the Pinnacles. 


	4. RoboZ Gold's Secret

~ 3 ~ Robo-Z Gold's Secret  
  
Devo, who wore a costume identical to a blue knight's uniform from Suikoden 2, sat on the roof of a fake building used for the next scene in the movie. It was already morning and Heat still hasn't arrived. Yet he didn't show any signs of getting impatient.  
  
"You're not worried that Heat didn't come?" Kitty-N asked as she sat on the plastic glass roof of the building.  
  
"I figured it was probably pointless anyway. You know how much he hates 'Litter Box Warriors 5'. I'm not exactly going to just FORCE him to come over." Devo said, "Anyway, what's taking the director so long getting out here?"  
  
"Beazel's being an idiot again. He says finding some stupid crystal is more important than continuing the movie," Kitty-N grumbled, "I don't know why they chose him to be the main villain of this movie."  
  
A squat...thing resembling a charcoal skinned version of Babidi had locked himself in a pitch dark trailer. The only light in the room was a piece of a chipped crystal, big enough to see a face.  
  
There was an image in the crystal that replayed what happened before Frida and company where abducted by the Circus Gang. As they showed the motorcycle leaving the cave, Comet's image seemed to glow a fuzzy green color. This made the figure grin sinisterly.  
  
"Yes. Soon, I will have the crystal that was nearly broken a million years ago." The figure laughed, "so many years in exile has installed more hatred in me than body fat. But that will all change once I get rid of those other humans."  
  
There were several bangs on the door, catching the figures attention.  
  
"Hey, Beazel!" the director shouted, "What's takin' you so long!? We've got a movie to shoot!"  
  
"Go away, I'm busy!"  
  
"Not busy enough to come out here and do one measly little scene, now get a move on!"  
  
"You are much too tense. Why don't you come inside and cool down a while."  
  
The doors to the trailer opened, and instead of what the director was expecting, a glob of red liquid jumped out and grabbed him, pulling him into the trailer as the door slammed shut.  
  
"Sit back and relax. I'll take care of everything." Beazel said with a laugh that echoed throughout the studio.  
  
Strike, Frida, Comet and Icy hung from shambles screwed to the ceiling of a base somewhere in the mountains. Blade paced from one person to another, looking at each of them with a grin. He then walked back to Strike and got into his face.  
  
"So, you gonna tell me what you stole, Strike?" Blade asked.  
  
"I ain't got nothin' that's considered, 'valuable'!" Strike snapped, "Now how about lettin' us go and bother someone rich!?"  
  
"That's a very good excuse, Strike. Only a robber can come up with something like that. I'll just have it take the torment up a notch!" Blade said as he tossed a sheriken past Strike's face. A bit of blood seeped out of the cut on his cheek.  
  
"You do realize that the more ya mangle me, the more likely I'm gonna kill ya later on." Strike grumbled.  
  
"Gee, I'm so scared. But it looks like you'll be the first to test out the most tormenting machine known to man." Blade grinned.  
  
Strike was stripped down to his boxers as he was strapped to a machine with a million feathers, all running up and down his body. He began snickering before he burst out laughing. He laughed and laughed until he cried while trying to gasp between laughs.  
  
While the chaos continued, Icy looked up at Blade who was just standing there, laughing sinisterly at the "torture" Strike was receiving.  
  
"Ooooooooooh...he's so cute and sexy." Icy said as tears streamed down her face and her eyes turned into pounding hearts.  
  
Blade shuts off the machine after an hour of waiting. Strike calapsed, gasping for air and completely drenched with sweat.  
  
"So, ready to spill it?" Blade asked, getting down to Strike's level. Strike remained motionless and barely managed to say two things.  
  
"Fuck...you..." he gasped. Blade scoffed.  
  
"So that's how you wanna play it. Very well." One of the clowns pointed a pistol at Comet. She responded by screaming in fright.  
  
"Hey! Leave my sister out of this!" Frida demanded.  
  
"I'd like to see which will spill first," Blade said, "the beans or her brain."  
  
Frida snarled and swung at the clown, kicking him away from Comet. Blade immediately turned around and threw a black spark ball at Frida, shocking her until she passed out.  
  
"So the kid knows how to fight back," Blade grumbled, "You'll regret dealing with me and my crew."  
  
It was dark...and surprisingly warm. Heat wasn't sure how long he'd been out, but as he began to regain consciousness, he slowly felt something covering his body, and it wasn't just his clothes.  
  
Opening one eye, Heat realized that he was lying in bed with three thick blankets covering him. He looked around to find himself in a room that looked like it came from an old tugboat. How did he get here?  
  
The metal door creeked open as Heat threw the covers off him, sat up and turned to see who was coming in. A man in an old, 18th Century captain's uniform walked in with a cup of hot tea.  
  
"Ah, you're awake." the captain said as he walked towards the bed Heat was now sitting on and handing him the cup. Heat looked at it for a moment before drinking it.  
  
"I'm amazed on how you recovered from the cold so fast," the captain said, "if you'd been stuck out in the cold any longer, you wouldn't have made it."  
  
"I've been through worst." Heat said, as he took another sip from the cup.  
  
"I was beginning to worry," the captain said, "Edgar would be upset if anything happened to you." the last sentance made Heat spit a mouth full of tea on the floor in shock.  
  
"Y-you know Devo!?" he stuttered, "but he didn't mention anything about you. How..." Heat trailed off when he looked at the cup, seeing the same "F" symbol on both sides. His eyes widened as he looked at the captain again, "W-wait...you can't be..." the captain slowly nodded. Heat was now completely speechless as the captain turned around.  
  
"Secret X had transfered Finchit's brain into me just so they can keep using his plans for evil," the captain said, "But what they didn't realize was that Finchit also had some fond memories when he quit. That's why I had escaped from their clutches. As long as they don't find out how to activate Finchit's latest creation, the world may still be at peace."  
  
"But...I thought they already release it," Heat said as he got up, "That towering pile of circuits tried to kill me last night."  
  
"Kill you? I don't think that's what its true intentions were," the captain turned his head towards Heat, "do you remember when you beat Robo-Z during the Bust A Groove competition last year?"  
  
"Well, all I did was see Robo-Z explode. At the same time, this strange light shot out of it and landed right on top of me. But what does that have to do with me?"  
  
"Has anything happened after the competition? Did you feel anything strange over the past year?"  
  
"Well...when I started dancing, I felt like I was fazing out or something. Then my whole body started to glow..."  
  
"Robo-Z's soul seems to have possessed you in someway," the captain interupted. Heat blinked, seeming a bit confused. The captain continued, "Robo-Z was originally designed to travel into another body with strong power. Other contestents have outdanced Robo-Z, but their powers matched what it wanted. But when you appeared, your power was so great that when Robo-Z began to explode, part of its soul left the body and tried to take over yours. When you start dancing, Robo-Z's soul takes over your body. Robo-Z Gold was designed to track that soul and take it, even if it meant killing you in the progress."  
  
"No wonder Devo didn't want me to get involved with the cometition. I thought he was afraid I'd burn everyone to death."  
  
"You were lucky Robo-Z's soul didn't completely take you over. If that had happened, then not even your friend can save you. But you're still a target for Robo-Z Gold." the captain turns and walks towards the door, "Until we can find a way to get his counterpart's soul out of you without killing you in the proccess, I'm afraid I can't send you back to Japan." Heat's jaw almost fell to the ground.  
  
"But...but I have to get to Toyama before Devo worries about me." the captain stopped and turned to Heat.  
  
"You do realize that if I send you to Japan with Robo-Z's soul, you'll more likely be a danger to your friends than if I have to keep you here," the captain said, "Would you want that instead?" Heat opened his mouth to say something, but then shuts it, being at a loss for words. The captain smiles, "I'm sure you'll run into him eventualy. But for now, you'll have to stay here."  
  
Heat watched as the captain walked towards the door, opens it and walks out. Once by himself, he plops onto the bed, looking at the cup in his hands. How is Devo going to understand that he's stuck out in the middle of the ocean, waiting for some robot's soul to be yanked out of him? 


	5. History of the Soul Crystal

~ 4 ~ The History of the Soul Crystal  
  
Strike hung off the bars of the cell, trying to yank them off. Frida, Comet and Icy sat against the wall, all lost in thought.  
  
"So hansome..." Icy muttered. The trio looked at her confused. She then began to scream, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I WISH I NEVER MET THE BASTARD!" She threw her hand outward with her fingers on her chest in a dramatic pose, "Icy, you must now choose between your duty and your heart!" She imitated a soldier, sitting up straight with and saluting, "Are you an officer!?" she then threw her folded hands beside her cheek like a love- stricken fool, "or a lover!"  
  
"Yo! You done yet, Cinderella!?" Strike yelled. Icy looked at him, still blushing, "I could use your help IF you don't mind!"  
  
Comet groaned, putting her hand on her forehead.  
  
"Sis, are you okay?" Frida asked.  
  
"My head hurts." Comet whispered painfully. Her chest glowed and the crystal suddenly shot out, emitting a strange light. The four stared in awe as a beam appeared under the crystal, a figure emerging from the ground, with a bow and arrow strapped to his back. He looked like a 12- year-old boy in a prist's robe with very short, hazel colored hair and old- fashion boots.  
  
The cook threw open every cupboard in the kitchen, but couldn't find the matches to light the stove. Heat came downstairs wearing a navi-blue baseball cap with a fancy "F" on the front of it with his motorcycle goggles around his eyes, notcing the cook running around and complaining.  
  
"Hey, gramps, what's wrong?" Heat asked.  
  
"I can't find the darn matches!" the cook yelled as he passed Heat, "could you help me look for them? Lunch starts in a few hours and the sailors will have my head if they don't have something in thier stomach!"  
  
"A few hours!? The way your running around makes it look like you don't have much time. Why don't I handle this...where's the stove?" The cook looked at him confused and pointed to an old, black iron stove at the far end of the kitchen.  
  
"But how are you going to get it going without any matches?" the cook asked.  
  
"Oh, I will, trust me." Heat said as he walked over to the stove. He opened the door, chucking firewood into the stove. He walked back several feet and stood in a ready-to-pitch position. A ball of fire appeared in his hands as he threw it at the stove, causing it to burst into flames. The cook's jaw hit the floor and his eyes nearly shot out of their sockets after seeing what Heat threw.  
  
"Problem solved," Heat said, walking over to the stove and kicking it shut, "I could serve as a temperary lighter until you find those matches."  
  
As Heat headed for the stairs, he turned around to see the cook still in shock. He cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Yo, gramps. Shouldn't you pick that up before someone steps on it?" Heat asked, pointing to the cook's jaw that was still on the floor. The cook didn't even flinch. Heat just blinked and shrugged before heading upstairs.  
  
"Ted!? THE Ted!? Your kidding!" Comet gasped. The young boy looked at the floor, fiddling with the front of his robe.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so." he said, a bit shy.  
  
"Who's Ted?" Strike asked.  
  
"Ted is the former guardian of the Soul Crystal a long time ago," Frida said, "or so our grandfather says."  
  
"Zat so?" Strike said, looking at Ted, "then that makes the kid a million years or so old."  
  
"Actually, I'm in the form of a spirit." Ted mumbled.  
  
"Oh, well. That makes you a peverted spook!" Strike said. Ted frowned.  
  
"Well, aren't you the rude type." he huffed.  
  
"WHAT!? I wasn't the one who spent a whole day snoopin' 'round Comet's chi-chi!" Strike yelled.  
  
"Oh, yeah, I forgot! The crystal!" Ted pointed to the crystal as it glowed and shot towards Comet. Frida got in front of it only to see the crystal go right through her and enter Comet's chest again. Ted walked over to Comet, "I'm sorry, but would you mind keep the crystal just a little longer. I don't want my old enemy, Beazel, to get his hands on it."  
  
"What do you mean?" Comet asked.  
  
"Beazel is searching for the soul crystal so he can dominate the world," Ted said, "If he finds out you have the Soul Crystal, he could try and extract it from you just so he can capture countless souls and turn everyone into mindless zombies. That's why the Crystal has chosen you, your sister, and that trash-talking giant, Strike."  
  
"What you call me!?" Strike yelled, getting into Ted's face.  
  
"A trash-talking giant." Ted said, grinning. Strike made strangling gestures, snarling, but slowly walked away.  
  
"Well, I'd be happy to be of help." Comet said, giggling. Ted went red in the face.  
  
"Oh, boy. What'll I do, I can see it in her eyes, she's inlove with me." Ted mumbled as he let out a doopy smile. Stike got into his face again.  
  
"Oh, great! First you hang out in Comet's boobs, now you're acting all love-sick and stuff!?" he yelled, backing Ted into a wall.  
  
"I beg your pardon, I have no clue what you are talking about." Ted said, hesitating.  
  
"You know very damn well what you're doing!" Strike jumped at Ted only to fly through him and into a wall. Ted came out of his chest after he got up.  
  
"You know, you're starting to become a very big buffoon!" Ted said, waving his finger at Strike.  
  
"What!? I'll show you who's a buffoon, you brat!" Strike yelled, swinging his fists at Ted only to gut himself in the mid-section. The girls just groaned.  
  
"It's been a year and he still acts like an idiot." Icy sighed.  
  
The captain looked out at the endless ocean, the sailors were running around, swabbing the deck and moving cargo. He then noticed Heat walking towards him.  
  
"I know there isn't much to do for a while, but when we remove Robo- Z's soul from your body, we'll take you back to Japan." the captain said. Heat spuned around and leaned his back against the side of the tugboat.  
  
"At this point, I'd do anything to kill time." Heat said. As if on que, two soldiers rushed out of the mess hall with a petrified cook in tow. The two looked at each other before Heat laughed nervously and stood up.  
  
"On second thought. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen, making lunch." he said nervously as he backed away towards the mess hall.  
  
Strike threw punches and kicks at Ted only to see them pass right through him like a holo-porjector. Ted flew up to his face, grinning.  
  
"Do you realize you're trying to attack a ghost?" Ted said, "I am a ghost. You can't get rid of me that easily."  
  
"Is he always like this?" Frida asked.  
  
"Not since the day we broke up." Icy mumbled.  
  
Suddenly, a wall of bars appeared behind Comet as the one in front of her slid open. Blade and two muscle men walked into the room.  
  
"I heard everything," he said, "and I wouldn't mind harnassing that kind of power."  
  
"Dream on, pal!" Frida yelled, "You'll never get it out of her!"  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that, kid. I'm not very skilled at physical surgery, so things could get messy." Blade snapped his fingers as Comet was hauled off the ground by one of the muscle men and carried out of the prison room.  
  
"FRIDA! HELP!" Comet cried.  
  
"Hey! Let her go!" Frida yelled. Strike jumped back onto the bars and began trying to yank them open but he was too exhausted from trying to hit Ted to even break a sweat.  
  
"That's it, Superman, keep up the good work!" Ted said, appearing between Strike's arms.  
  
"Thanks for the complament, squirt!" Strike grunted, "Mind givin' me a hand here!?"  
  
"I can't, I'm a ghost."  
  
"Why should such a hansome man like Blade have to be so ruthless and loathing?" Icy said, romantically.  
  
"Yo, lover-girl! How about helpin' me out!" Strike yelled, "If you want to see your new boyfriend again!"  
  
Icy took over trying to rip the bars open as Strike sat on the ground with his back against the wall, catching his breath. She yanked the bars wide enough for Strike and Frida to go through. The minute they were free, the bars snapped back into place like rubberbands.  
  
The two ran to the door only to see it shut tight.  
  
"Hey, we need your help again!" Frida yelled.  
  
"Just a minute!" Icy grunted, trying to yank the bars open again.  
  
"Hey, Frida! Look!" Ted said, pointing to a couple of roped rings on the side of the wall. Strike grabbed the rings and pulled them out of the wall, causing the stone doors to slowly open.  
  
"We're going to find Comet! Later!" they yelled as they ran through the open doors. Icy turned beet red as she ripped the bars wide open.  
  
The sailors crowded the messhall with several bowls of curry in front of them. Heat was behind the counter, pouring out each bowl that was in front of him.  
  
One of the sailors took a bite out of the curry and almost yelled with glee.  
  
"That's the best curry I've ever tasted! Did the cook do this before he fainted!?" Heat fell over in shock.  
  
"Excuse me!" he yelled, getting up, "I pratically slaved over that stove for three hours! The least you could've done was show some respect!"  
  
"These are 18th Century sailors," said a voice that almost made Heat fall over again, "they've never seen a city boy cook more than toast before."  
  
Heat got up, looking behind him only to be glomped by a familiar figure with dove wings.  
  
"S-Sara?" Heat was almost speechless until he felt her hugging him hard enough to choke him.  
  
"What's the matter? Aren't you happy to see me again?" Sara said cheerfully. Tears wielded up in Heat's eyes and he almost buried his head in her outstretched arms and cried. Sara blinked before she comforted him, slipping the cap off his head and rubbing his red hair. 


End file.
